The People in the Story—

Paula Hazeltine, socially popular, lovely wife of

Stephen Hazeltine, successful and respected member of his community, is blissfully happy in the security of her beautiful home, beloved family and wide circle of adoring friends.

Stephen, Jr., and “Trez” two big, handsome sons,

Marlys, lovely, vivacious debutante daughter and

Pansie, the baby who came much later—“for dessert”—round out the Hazeltine family, which also includes Paula’s slightly younger sister,

Deborah Trezavant, unmarried but still beautiful, although saddened because of an unhappy girlhood romance with a college professor,

Prentiss Talbot, in love with Marlys, gives way to

Condy Cheeseborough, handsome young law student, returned for a visit between studies, who completely captivates young, impressionable Marlys.

Added excitement is introduced when Stephen learns he has been proposed for senatorship by

Senator Saintsbury, who is planning to retire. A forbidding cloud of disaster looms suddenly in the persons of Mae Singer, a former charity case of Paula’s, and Jay Porcher, an unscrupulous lawyer, who threaten to ruin Stephen socially and politically with a trumped-up scandal.

Joseph Fenelli, Stephen’s opposition, is suspiciously involved in the vicious scheme.

How Stephen and Paula fight these ruinous accusations—how Deborah finds love after years of patient waiting—how little Marlys copes with the pain of first love, makes a delightfully human and heartwarming story.